Formby Ladies March 17th 2023

Friday 17th March (St Patrick's Day) heralded the start of the new season for Victoria Golf Society. The weather was reasonably kind with sunny warm spell’s broken up with the occasional rain shower. As always first event has its hiccups. 2 golfers cried off on the morning and one golfer who shall remain nameless drove to the wrong golf course with his partners clubs making for a fraught hour for the secretary reorganising tee times. 

Captain Nigel on the 1st tee with Steve......

The club also welcomed two new members John Edwards and Paul Hooton. In the end everything went fine with Paul Stanson winning with 42 points closely followed by Nick Pilkington on 40. Dean won men’s longest drive and Nuala the ladies. Peter Watson claimed both nearest pin awards. 

Captain Nigel presenting the trophy to Paul.... well done!

Our next event is 14th April at Knott End Golf Club

AGM and Programme for 2023

The Society AGM was held at the Hesketh GC on Thursday February 9th and the programme of meetings for 2023 was announced.

March 17                Formby Ladies GC

April 14                  Knott End GC

May 19                   Hesketh GC

June 9                     Shaw Hill Golf and Country Club

June 30                   Pleasington GC

August 4                 Hesvic Trophy by Invitation 36 Holes Formby Ladies GC

September 9           Prenton GC

October 6               Captains Day at Hurlston Hall Golf and Country Club

November 10         Helsby GC

December 10         Formby Ladies GC Christmas Competition and Dinner

2023 Captain Nigel Williams is planning a 30th Anniversary Dinner at the Athenaeum Club in Liverpool.  The menu for this will be around £50 for canapes, 3 courses, 1/2 bottle of wine per person, and promises to be an event not to be missed for existing and former members of the Society.

New Members are always welcome to the Society.  So if you like to play different courses in the North West in a relaxed, mildly competitive environment, with the emphasis on fun and enjoying ourselves then contact the Treasurer on pswgolf@aol.com.

 Formby Ladies final event of 2022 played 15th January 2023

This was played in January on what turned out to be a very pleasant day apart from a very light shower.  The course was lovely as usual and the greens were in excellent condition.  The December event was cancelled because of the frozen course in the December cold spell, almost unheard of in this area.

15 Golfers turned out, and had a competitive day, with prizes awarded as follows:

1st Denise McInerny      43pts so Denise wins the Christmas Claret Jug. 

2nd Peter S Watson        42pts

3rd Evan Bale                39pts

Longest drives, Dean Straker and Lisa Greenhalgh

Nearest the pin in 2 shots on the 7th John Wilson, and 15th Dean Straker.  So John won the wonderful Captain's cake prize, and gleefully took it home to consume!

2's John Wilson and Nick Pilkington

In the evening we visited the Nepali restaurant on Lord Street, and enjoyed a very nice meal and evening, although be careful if they say the food is 'spicy', they mean HOT!

Captains's Day St Anne's Old Links - Monday 7th November 2022

 Well another surprise, with a poor weather forecast we expected a dousing, but apart from the first few minutes of rain for the early starters, the day was dry and breezy.  St Anne's Old Links was in beautiful condition, helped by the mild autumn, with excellent greens and challenging but fair rough, ie it was not too bad in the writer's opinion.  Others may beg to differ!

Dean Straker had an exceptional day, winning with 40 points, which off a Hcap of 8 was wonderful. But the day got better as he chipped in on the NTP in 2 hole, winning the cake, but he chose the wine, leaving the cake for Bryan Robinson who was just a couple of feet from the hole.  The icing on the cake for Dean was the longest drive.  He had one of those days!

Second was Evan Bale on 39 points and third was Paul Yates on 37pts.  Well done guys.

The Ladies Longest drive was won by Pauline Currie, the NTP in 1 was won by John Wilson, and 2's were recorded by Chris Edwards and, yes that man again, Dean.

All in all a lovely afternoon, finished with drinks and sandwiches in the elegant clubhouse.

Later, several of us had a relaxing evening enjoying the delights of St Anne's at the Dalmeny Hotel.  My first stay there but I was impressed and would recommend it.

Onward to Formby Ladies on Sunday 11th December, followed by the annual dinner at Trattoria 61 which was excellent last year.

 Friday 7th October 2022 at Southport Old Links

Well today was a surprise, we all turned up, having watched a horrendous shower earlier, expecting a damp afternoon, but the day turned out to be lovely.  a fresh breeze, sunshine and a course that was good underfoot, made for an enjoyable afternoon.  (NO RAIN). The tight course rewarded straight hitters, or those that don't hit the ball to far, but it was a pleasure to play.  We had the course almost to ourselves.

We ended enjoying a lovely steak pie (substantial!) and apple pie and custard.... served by the lovely staff in dining room. What more could we ask for...?  

It should have been perhaps renamed LADIES DAY as Nuala and Sue carved the course up to finish with 41 points each.  Well done them, although I suspect something was up with the handicaps today!

Tough luck on Paul Yates, 3rd, 39 pts and Andy Curran 37 pts who on another day would have collected the prizes.  Oh well that is Society Golf..... FUN.

John Warham struggled to repeat his form from the last meeting, which he won, but produced a wonderful strike on the 11th to finish a few feet from the hole and win the NTP in 2... this was the cake, the best prize by far.

Longest Drive went to Dean Straker, for a change, haha.  Dean may be moving away, so perhaps the rest of us will have a chance on the Longest Drive in the future. Best wishes to Dean in the future... and don't forget us.

NTP on the 7th was won by John Wilson, and there were 3 2's on the day, none of them John's...! Well done on the 2's to Evan Bale, Paul Yates and Bryan Robinson.

Next meeting is a St Anne's Old Links on November 7th, with a stop over if you wish.  Contact Chris...

 Friday 2nd September HESWALL on the WIRRAL

Another lovely day in this excellent summer at the beautiful, but scorched HESWALL GC.  Drives often went a long way hopefully straight but sometimes deflected into trouble!  

At the end of  a long round it was lovely to relax on the terrace with a pint watching the sunset over the  River Dee.

Results:         First John Warham 49 pts. - John your WHI has already been chopped!

                      Second: Sue O'Donnell 43 pts

                      Third Steve Neale 39 pts.

Longest Drive - John Wilson

NTP and NTP in 2 on the 18th both to Peter S Watson.....so he finished with a smile on his face!

                 Friday 5th August 2022 

    HESVIC TROPHY at FORMBY LADIES GC

The Victoria Golf Society played the annual challenge over 36 holes at Formby Ladies on a pleasant day at the beautiful Formby Ladies GC. All matches were keenly fought and we came good against a stronger team on paper. This means the Victoria Society have won the trophy for 6 years  in succession.

TIME	VICTORIA TEAM	H/CAP	HESKETH TEAM	H/CAP	PTS V	PTS H
8-30	DENISE Mc INERNEY	23(14)	JOE SAWBRIDGE	4(2.4)	2 &1
	NUALA ROBINSON	27(10.8)            25	STEVE RIGBY	19(7.6)            10	1PT
8-38	JOHN WILSON	16(9.6)	ELLIOT COLLINS	18(10.8)	2&1
	IAN ROBINSON	23(9.2)            19	ANDY HALSTEAD	20(8)            19	1PT
8-46	BRYAN ROBINSON	14(8.4)	JACK RIMMER	13(7.8)	A/S	A/S
	CHRIS EDWARDS	17(6.8)            15	JOE GHILCHRIST	17(6.8)            15 1515	.5	.5
8-54	DEAN STRAKER	9(5.4)	PETER FOWLER	10(6)	A/S	A/S
	PAUL YATES	14(5.6)            11             111	TONY FITZPATRICK	16(6.4)           12            1111111212	.5	.5
9-02	KEVIN O DONNELL	21(8.4)	WILLIE BAXTER	20(8)		2 &1
	EVAN BALE	14(8.4)            17	DOUG ELEMENT	10(6)           14		1PT
9-10	JULIAN Mc INERNEY	12(7.2)	TONY LILLEY	24(9.6)	A/S	A/S
	PAUL STANSON	25(10)            17	DAVE RIMMER	10(6)           16	.5	.5
PTS TOTAL AM					3.5	2.5
1-30	JOHN WILSON	16            10	JOE SAWBRIDGE	4             0	A/S	A/S
	IAN ROBINSON	23            16	STEVE RIGBY	19            13	.5	.5
1-38	DENISE Mc INERNEY	23              4	ELLIOT COLLINS	18              0		8&7
	NUALA ROBINSON	27              8	ANDY HALSTEAD	20              2		1PT
1-46	DEAN STRAKER	9              0	JACK RIMMER	13              3	5&4
	PAUL YATES	14              4	JOE GHILCHRIST	17              7	1PT
1-54	BRYAN ROBINSON	14              3               3	PETER FOWLER	10              0	1 UP
	CHRIS EDWARDS	17              6              6	TONY FITZPATRICK	16              5	1PT
2-02	JULIAN Mc INERNEY	12              2	WILLIE BAXTER	20              9	2 UP
	PAUL STANSON	25            13             13	DOUG ELEMENT	10              0	1 PT
2-10	KEVIN O DONNELL	21              9	TONY LILLEY	24            12		4 &3
	EVAN BALE	14              3	DAVE RIMMER	10             0		1PT
			PTS TOTAL PM		3.5	2.5
HESVIC TROPHY FINAL RESULT					7	5